Kailene was born and raised in Minnesota, USA. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with degrees in Japanese and Graphic Design, and began working as a designer and illustrator in Tokyo, Japan soon thereafter. While employed at Japanese design agencies, she designed and illustrated for packaging, marketing materials, editorial layouts, and branding for large Japanese companies such as meiji, kewpie, Mitsui Norin, and Mizukan. In 2018, Kailene left her full-time job to begin a freelance career. While she continues to work in digital medium, she began honing her skills in watercolor painting with a particular focus on food illustration. Her watercolor work has been displayed in galleries and commissioned by both individuals and corporations.

In addition to her creative career, she works as a bilingual Japanese/English language reporter for nation-wide news channels as well as a for international NHK World programming broadcast in over 20+ countries. She has made over a hundred appearances on Japanese variety TV, most notably as the American representative for the weekly show “Sekai Kurabete Mitara” with Taichi Kokubun and Naomi Watanabe since 2017.